Ch. 1 Summary
By Christian
'[t]he big, fat smiling Buddha.' (Quote 3)
Plot
In the first chapter, we are given all the information about the setting. He talks about his name, where and when he was born, food, and about his house. Da talks about the Red Guards parade, and the fight he gets into with one of his neighbor’s kids. Da also talks about the suffering that he and his family felt because they were landlords. He uses a little humor about learning how to ‘beg Buddha’ on the last page. Buddhism plays a minor part in his life because his parents are Buddhists.
Key Quotes
(P3) “Dad wanted to give me the name Han, which means drought. But that would have been like naming a boy in Hiroshima Atom Bomb.”
(P4) “They were making us suffer because the leaders were all bad.”
(P6) “Mom taught us to beg Buddha for his protection and help. This was easier than potty training. All you needed to do was wash yourself really clean, button your buttons, get on your knees, and bang your head on the floor before the hidden shrine of the big, fat smiling Buddha. Ask all you want and you will be answered, Mom told us.”
By Christian
'[t]he big, fat smiling Buddha.' (Quote 3)
Plot
In the first chapter, we are given all the information about the setting. He talks about his name, where and when he was born, food, and about his house. Da talks about the Red Guards parade, and the fight he gets into with one of his neighbor’s kids. Da also talks about the suffering that he and his family felt because they were landlords. He uses a little humor about learning how to ‘beg Buddha’ on the last page. Buddhism plays a minor part in his life because his parents are Buddhists.
Key Quotes